609 Nutrition Spot

04/11/2026

02/26/2026

02/06/2026

In 1964, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer helped found the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge the all-white delegation representing Mississippi at the Democratic National Convention. Though they were denied full recognition that year, their challenge forced national attention on voter suppression and helped lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act the following year.

Hamer, a former sharecropper who had been fired, beaten, and jailed for trying to register to vote, famously declared:

“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

Her courage reminds us that ordinary people, even without wealth or political power, can shift the direction of a nation.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas

12/01/2025

11/12/2025

The countdown is almost over. ⏰ 4 days
This Saturday, November 15, 2025 we’re bringing the community together for the Community Business Expo 2025 – “Be The Blueprint” at the Martin Luther King Center 207 W Main Ave, Whitesboro, NJ 08252

Vendors are finishing their setups, locking in their tables, and getting ready for a full day of networking, business building, food, music, and real connections.

If you still need to secure your table, call 609-300-4634 or email [email protected].

Let’s show up and build together.

11/08/2025

2025 Cape May County Food Pantries

11/06/2025

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄
𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲

𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 & 𝘓𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘕𝘈𝘗 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯

(Cape May Court House, NJ) — The Cape May County Board of Commissioners is joining forces with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) to host an emergency mobile food pantry on Saturday, November 8th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the County Commons complex, located at 3801 Route 9 South, Rio Grande, NJ 08242.

This special event is targeted to families with children in Middle Township and Lower Township whose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have been disrupted due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey is the state’s largest anti-hunger organization, working with over 800 partner agencies to deliver nutritious food to families and individuals in need. The organization provides the equivalent of more than 90 million meals each year, while also offering SNAP outreach, nutrition education, and job training programs that address the root causes of poverty.

“The federal shutdown has created immediate hardship for working families who rely on SNAP benefits to keep healthy food on the table,” said Director Len Desiderio, speaking on behalf of the County Board. “Cape May County is stepping up to ensure children in our community are fed — regardless of what’s happening in Washington, DC.”

The County Department of Human Services, has recruited 10 volunteers from various organizations to help distribute food staples and assist local families throughout the event.

More than 4,000 families in Middle Township and Lower Township rely on SNAP assistance to support their households each month. With benefits disrupted, many are forced to make difficult tradeoffs between groceries, rent, transportation, and basic household needs.

𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝘿𝙀𝙏𝘼𝙄𝙇𝙎

𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀:
County Commons — 3801 Route 9 South, Rio Grande, NJ 08242

𝙒𝙃𝙀𝙉:
Saturday, November 8, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

𝙒𝙃𝙊 𝙄𝙎 𝙀𝙇𝙄𝙂𝙄𝘽𝙇𝙀:
Serving families of students from the Middle Township and Lower Township School Districts and those affected by the temporary discontinuation of SNAP benefits.

Families in need are encouraged to arrive early. Identification or proof of residency may be requested to verify eligibility.

For more information, contact:
Cape May County Social Services
Phone: (609) 886-6200
Website: www.capemaycountynj.gov

11/06/2025

The countdown is on! ⏳
We’re just 8 days away from the Community Business Expo 2025 — “Be The Blueprint” happening November 15 at the Martin Luther King Center in Whitesboro, New Jersey!

Vendors are locking in their tables, prepping their displays, and getting ready to network, build, and grow with some of the most driven entrepreneurs in the community.

Expect food, music, good vibes, and powerful connections — all under one roof.
🕤 Vendor setup: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

If you still need to secure your table, call 609-300-4634 or email [email protected] today.

10/29/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2025

Cape May County Commissioners Approve Emergency Funding for Local Food Pantries Amid Federal Shutdown

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, NJ — In swift response to the ongoing federal government shutdown and its impact on federal nutrition programs, the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners voted today to authorize $112,000 in emergency funding to support local food pantries that serve thousands of county residents in need.

The action, approved unanimously during the Board’s October 28 meeting, will provide direct assistance to seven community-based food providers who will help offset potential disruptions to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits should the shutdown continue into November. More than 4,000 Cape May County households rely on SNAP funding each month to help put food on the table.

Local food pantries receiving equal funding include:

Wildwood / Lazarus House
Lower Township / Seashore Community Church
St. Barnabas
Cape May / Cape May Food Closet
Dennis / Woodbine, St. Vincent de Paul
Ocean / Upper, St. Peter’s Methodist
Bethel Commandment

Board Director Leonard C. Desiderio said the County could not wait while families face uncertainty about where their next meal may come from.

“We will not stand by while the most vulnerable families in our community are left behind,” Director Desiderio said following the vote. “This is a stop-gap measure, not a substitute for the federal safety net that SNAP provides.”

“Every day this crisis persists, more Cape May County residents face the very real choice between putting food on the table and paying other essential bills. This is not a partisan issue; it is a human one,” he continued.

The Board’s action invokes the emergency purchasing authority provided under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6, allowing the immediate use of county funds to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents.

Desiderio also renewed his call for federal lawmakers of both parties to resolve the shutdown without delay.

“To our U.S. Senators, our U.S. Representative, and all members of Congress: do your duty for the American people. Restore funding, reopen government, and deliver the certainty our citizens deserve.”

Nonprofit food assistance partners have signaled a significant increase in demand in the coming weeks without resumed federal support. Today’s action will ensure they have the resources to meet that need.

For more information on SNAP benefits or food assistance resources available in Cape May County, residents may contact the County Division of Social Services at 609-886-6200.